McFadden Needs a Field Goal to Help Erase Memory of Miss

Paul McFadden of the Philadelphia Eagles knows what it will take to obliterate the memory of a crucial missed field goal against the New York Giants.

“Next Sunday (today) I’ll put this behind me after we beat the St. Louis Cardinals and I make a few kicks,” he said.

McFadden was wide left on a 39-yard field goal attempt last Sunday that could have forced overtime in a game the Eagles lost, 20-17. Earlier in the game, he missed from 50 yards.

McFadden has made only 5-of-10 field goals since the strike and is 8 of 14 this season. In a poor 1986, he made 20 of 31.

“It’s making me old,” said McFadden, who made 55 of 67 field goal attempts in his first two seasons. “But when you put through a game-winner, you feel like an 18-year-old kid.”

McFadden has worked hard to keep his job. Philadelphia Coach Buddy Ryan criticized him during training camp and has looked at other kickers this season, but hasn’t found anyone better. This week, he gave McFadden some words of support.

“If you can find anybody better than Paul, we’ll take a look at him,” Ryan said. “But I don’t think there’s anybody better out there and I think a lot of kickers out there are not as good as Paul.”

Ryan’s comments notwithstanding, the Eagles tested two kickers last week--Mike Clendenon, who was cut by Denver in training camp, and Willie Beecher, cut in Miami’s training camp.

“I don’t like it but we all knew that would happen,” said McFadden, who ranks second on the Eagles’ all-time list with 83 field goals, trailing Sam Baker’s 90. “But I’m not competing with them, I’m competing with myself.”

“I want to go out to improve and work hard to get better,” he said. “I don’t just go out to practice.”

Monday, one day after he missed the 39-yarder against the Giants, McFadden went to the same spot on the Veterans Stadium field and tried six kicks, making five. But it could not make up for the miss.